Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Savory Cheesecake, Bread and Chili

I am doing kitchen duty again today.  Yesterday I soaked a cup of kidney beans and today I pressure cooked them until tender (about 15 minutes).  Then I added tomatoes (never add to uncooked beans or they will never be tender; ask me how I know :)), some textured vegetable protein granules and spices.  I know have enough chili to act as the base for three meals and I am positive the cost was not over £1.  And, I can tell you from lots of experience, you would never know you weren't eating chili made with meat.  The soy granules take on the flavor of the chili beautifully and they look just like ground meat.  Mike didn't know the first time until I told him and that is saying something.  The chili is now in the fridge because I just think it tastes so much better once it has had time to sit and the flavors have had time to meld together.  I can see Mexican pizza, burritos and huevos rancheros in our future.

I currently have a loaf of whole wheat with flax bread baking in the oven.  I like to add the flax because of the omega 3 oils it has and it helps with Mike's high cholesterol and I suppose helps keep mine amazingly low.  It also makes me feel virtuous to eat something so healthy that still tastes good.  I put the bread to rise by the heat stove and it worked like a charm.  It can sometimes be difficult to find a warm enough location here on the boat to proof bread but the step to the cratch that is right beside the stove seems to be close enough but not too close, just in case anyone else on a narrow boat has the same issue.

Once the bread comes out I will put in tonight's dinner, a savory cheesecake.  I have adapted the original recipe that came from a mystery series by Diane Mott Davidson that also included recipes.  My version now tastes more like spanocotopia with feta instead of Swiss cheese but we like it that way.  That and a mixed fruit salad will be dinner for this Ash Wednesday.

All in all, a good day in the kitchen.

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